The US president says he is looking for a solution to ‘bad things’ happening in Gaza, including starvation. Donald Trump also predicted progress on Ukraine-Russia peace talks “in two or three weeks”, as he talked to reporters on the final day of his Middle East tour.
There are portraits that precede greatness, snapshots of youthful genius. The boy with the indie-band fringe celebrating on Ronaldinho’s back. The bleach-blonde teen with blaugrana braces leaving a trail of Inter defenders in his wake.
Almost exactly 20 years separated Lionel Messi’s first goal for Barcelona and Lamine Yamal’s sensational Champions League semi-final strike on his 100th appearance for the Catalan giants last month.
Now Yamal has done it again, cutting inside on to his left foot and emphatically delivering what is becoming his trademark finish as Barcelona beat local rivals Espanyol to claim another La Liga title on Thursday night.
It is already the second league title of his career for Yamal, and the 17-year-old is still a month younger than Messi was when he lobbed the goalkeeper from Ronaldinho’s scooped assist to become La Liga’s then-youngest scorer in 2005.
Yamal has also won a Copa del Rey and Super Cup with Barcelona, and a European Championship with Spain just for good measure.
“I don’t want to compare myself with the best player in football’s history,” said the forward last month, but conjecture around whether he can emulate Messi is natural.
The stats show Yamal’s trajectory since his debut aged 15 years and 290 days is rising faster than that of either Messi or the other superstar of his generation, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Yamal, not 18 until July, has already played 104 games at club level and scored 24 goals. By the same age, Messi had scored once in nine senior games for Barca while Ronaldo had netted five goals in 19 games for Sporting.
Yamal also has four goals in his 19 appearances for Spain. Neither Messi or Ronaldo made their international debut until they turned 18.
It took Messi, who made his debut at 16, until shortly before his 21st birthday to hit the 100-game mark in Barcelona colours, scoring 41 goals in the process.
But they were the first of an incredible 672 goals for the club, to complement the eight Ballons d’Or, one World Cup, two Copas America, four Champions Leagues and a huge haul of domestic silverware.
Messi was the small boy who arrived from Argentina aged 13 needing growth-hormone treatment, the one Gerard Pique revealed team-mates at La Masia thought was mute because he “said nothing to us for the first month”.
“Messi was always very cautious in the way he approached things – rivals, team-mates, managers – always very respectful,” explains Spanish football expert Guillem Balague.
“But he would be the one putting the mental frame to those that came new. If they were from the lower ranks, he would protect them but push them.
“When Neymar arrived, he got the message: You are Brazilian, we know you like to express yourself a lot, but there are certain things you have to do here to become an important player for Barcelona.”
Yamal grew up around 20 miles along the coast from the Nou Camp between the city of Granollers, where his mother lived, and Mataro, where his father was. He celebrates by making the number 304 with his fingers, the last three digits of his postcode in the Mataro neighbourhood of Rocafonda.
Remarkably, there are pictures of baby Yamal being held by a 20-year-old Messi during a photoshoot for Barcelona and Unicef in 2007. Seven years later, that baby was training with the club. By the age of 12, Spanish publication Marca was already comparing him to Messi.
Barcelona even broke protocol by bringing Yamal to live at La Masia – usually the rooms go to players from outside Catalonia and taxis are provided for local youngsters. Just over three years after moving in, Yamal made his debut against Real Betis.
Yamal has since moved out of the Barcelona residence, buying an apartment not far from the training ground.
“Lamine Yamal couldn’t have been more different to Lionel Messi,” says Balague. “Since he was a kid he liked to joke inside the changing rooms, he liked to express himself.
“The fact his parents separated a long time ago and his mother has been the lighthouse in terms of values and behaviour, his father is almost more like a friend – that allowed a player like him to have the freedom to go beyond what is expected.
“A good example of that is Cristiano Ronaldo – he had no references and he thought he could fly and that he could be the best in the world and no one said to him ‘no, you have to go to university etc’.”
Balague describes Yamal as “completely fearless”, which came across in Yamal’s first news conference before the 3-3 Champions League semi-final first-leg draw with Inter.
“I left all my fears in the park of my neighbourhood,” said Yamal, before responding to those who criticised his celebrations following Barca’s Copa del Rey triumph against Real Madrid last month. “While I keep winning, they can’t say much.”
“I have never heard anything like that,” says Balague. “It is very much like Cristiano Ronaldo behaviour – thinking ‘I am the best, so it is not a problem’. But he is still a kid in so many ways.”
Balague says when the electricity went down in Spain earlier this month, Yamal, Gavi and Fermin Lopez took the opportunity to stroll around town with their hoodies on, before they were spotted.
The late Kobe Bryant once told a story about Ronaldinho introducing him to a player he said would be the greatest of all time. “You what? You are the best,” replied the basketball star. “No,” said Ronaldinho. “This kid here is going to be the best.”
Messi was 17, but those around him already knew they were in the presence of a star.
He joined a squad containing World Cup winners Ronaldinho, Juliano Belletti and Edmilson, stars such as Samuel Eto’o and Deco, and homegrown gems Carles Puyol, Andres Iniesta, Victor Valdes and Xavi.
The following season, Barcelona won La Liga and the Champions League – though Messi missed the final through injury – their first triumph in Europe’s elite competition since 1992.
“We won the Champions League and La Liga with Ronaldinho in his prime,” says Van Bommel. “He was on such a level that he could do everything on his own. We could just defend and let him inspire the attack, we knew we would win every game.”
It is, of course, hard to compare players across eras. Yamal has emerged at a different Barcelona, where the club’s financial situation has prompted them to turn again to their esteemed youth system.
It was after Ousmane Dembele left for Paris St-Germain and Raphinha was suspended for the second game of last season that Yamal earned his first start. Now he is the star.
Yamal scored five times in this season’s Champions League, while his 53 shots and 98 dribbles are both the most in Opta’s records for a teenager in a campaign.
The earliest such data available on Messi is from 2006-07, when he was 19 and made 21 dribbles at a rate of 4.9 per 90 minutes, compared to Yamal’s 7.2 this term. However, only three times in 14 subsequent seasons at Barcelona did Messi drop below Yamal’s current average in Europe.
Messi missed a chunk of that 2006-07 season with a metatarsal fracture but still clocked up 26 La Liga appearances, scoring 14 goals with a shot conversion rate of 23% and creating 38 chances, which led to two assists.
Yamal, two years younger, has played 33 league games this season, scored eight goals, made 13 assists and created 62 chances, though he has had more than twice as many shots as Messi did with a conversion rate of 6.1%.
“What we are seeing from Lamine Yamal is extraordinary and the impact it has had in world football is completely out of the ordinary and unexpected,” says Balague.
That is a question only time can answer.
“Certainly, we have to say he is ahead of Messi as it stands,” says Balague. “But to be 15 years right at the top, influencing every final he played, that is something that requires a lot of consistency, luck and a strong mentality for when things go wrong.
“At the moment, everything is going well and this is the biggest impact Lamine has had – he makes us look forward to watching Barcelona, look forward to seeing him. He lifts us from our seats, makes us shout and scream when he does something.”
Moral remembers watching Yamal decide youth cup finals, including his own “remontada” against Real Madrid. Now he is doing it on the grandest stage.
“Who expects a guy 16, 17 years old can play not just in first division, but in Barca… and can do something like the other day in the semi-finals of the Champions League or in the summer in the Euros?” Moral says.
“This guy is a kid, he is unbelievable. Honestly, I don’t know where his top is, but we are in front of one of the greatest players in the future, I am sure.
Van Bommel says Barcelona’s 2006 Champions League success “was the beginning of the Messi era”, one built around La Masia talent with Messi at its fore. Now there is a sense Yamal could lead the latest batch of young stars into a new dynasty.
It’s what Moral and others who coached at La Masia have been waiting to see come to fruition.
“We said it would never happen again. And look, 10 years later, we are in the same situation,” Moral beams, recalling watching Yamal, Gavi, Alejandro Balde and Pau Cubarsi, and says there are more to come.
“When they touch the ball, you feel something special as a coach. Lamine, pfft, if one player at 12 years old has the capacity to make you crazy in training, it’s like ‘wow!’
“Barcelona is doing very good things – they invest in La Masia, in players, in talented coaches. Now it is normal to see players of 16, 17, 18 years old, which is unbelievable.
“When Xavi was in the top level, he was 26 or 27 years old. These guys are 17 or 18 years old so imagine in 10 years where they can arrive?”
Yamal is the star of this crop, a world-beater at 17.
Watch highlights of every Champions League game from 22:00 on Wednesday on BBC iPlayer and the BBC Sport website and app.
Vice President Kashim Shettima has restated the Federal Government’s commitment to improving access to ear, nose, and throat (ENT) healthcare services across Nigeria.
He called for urgent action to upgrade Nigeria’s healthcare infrastructure, with a specific focus on ENT care to address the rising cases of hearing loss and shortage of specialised medical personnel in the field.
The Vice President stated this on Thursday evening when he received a delegation from the Otorhinolaryngological Society of Nigeria (ORLSON) led by its President, Aliyu Mohammed Kodiya, on a courtesy visit to the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
Shettima told the team that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu was determined to tackle key challenges in the ENT sector, including inadequate infrastructure, lack of equipment, and a growing wave of medical brain drain.
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“A huge chunk of our population suffers from hearing ailments, but due to social stigmatisation, many are reluctant to come forward for treatment. The challenges you are highlighting are real, and the government is committed to going beyond cosmetic interventions,” he said in a statement signed by the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Communications (Office of the Vice President), Stanley Nkwocha, on Friday.
Senator Shettima acknowledged the critical shortage of ENT specialists nationwide, saying there may not be up to 500 ENT surgeons in this country if immediate action is not taken.
“That is the reality we face today. Even our young doctors are migrating to Europe and other regions, but we are working to create an enabling environment for them here.”
He emphasised that government support would not only focus on acquiring equipment but would also prioritise the training, welfare, and retention of medical professionals in the field.
“The problem goes beyond equipment. Procuring medical devices without the manpower to operate them would amount to nothing,” VP Shettima added, urging ORLSON to continue investing in the training of new specialists.
In recognition of his support for the sector, the Vice President was conferred with the honourary title of ‘Ambassador of the Otorhinolaryngological Society of Nigeria’ by Kodiya.
Earlier, ORLSON’s president drew attention to the alarming global and national statistics on hearing loss, describing it as a growing public health crisis.
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He cited data from the World Health Organisation (WHO) indicating that by 2050, nearly 2.5 billion people globally will experience some degree of hearing loss, with over 700 million requiring rehabilitation.
“This condition imposes an estimated global financial burden of over $1 trillion annually due to lost productivity, healthcare costs, and social exclusion,” he said.
Kodiya also noted that Nigeria’s National Policy and Strategic Plan for Ear and Hearing Care, launched in 2019, expired in 2023 without full implementation, calling it a missed opportunity to develop a sustainable hearing health framework.
Wales head coach Craig Bellamy will head to Spain next week for a warm-weather training camp without a number of high-profile Premier League players.
With the final round of top flight games taking place on Sunday, 25 May, Bellamy will start preparations for June’s World Cup qualifiers without the likes of Tottenham Hotspur’s Ben Davies and Brennan Johnson and Fulham’s Harry Wilson.
Daniel James, Ethan Ampadu, Karl Darlow and Joe Rodon, all fresh off the back of winning the Championship with Leeds United, are included in a group of 29 players.
The Football Association of Wales says the training camp will allow Bellamy and his staff to “view players that have been involved in the senior team, U21 and U19 squads across the 2024-25 season”.
Wales are second in World Cup qualifying Group J after winning the opening game of their campaign 3-1 against Kazakhstan in March, before drawing 1-1 at group leaders North Macedonia.
Bellamy’s side face winless Liechtenstein at Cardiff City Stadium on Friday, 6 June before travelling to Brussels the following Monday to face top seeds Belgium, who are yet to start their campaign.
Every game of Wales’ 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign is televised live on BBC Cymru Wales.
David Beckham was said to be ‘devastated’ when his oldest son Brooklyn and wife Nicola Peltz failed to attend any of his 50th birthday celebrations earlier this month. As rumours of a family rift deepen, he and wife Victoria were dealt another blow when Brooklyn and Nicola were spotted cosying up to their former friends Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a dinner this week.
The meeting is said to have ‘blindsided’ David, 50, and Victoria, 51, who famously cut ties with Harry and Meghan after Harry reportedly accused Victoria of leaking stories about Meghan to the press – something she has always denied.
During the meet, Nicola and Meghan are said to have bonded as both have been blamed for fallouts with their husband’s families. It’s claimed Harry – who is also at loggerheads with his father, King Charles and brother Prince William – was reportedly also able to offer his ‘unwavering support’ to Brooklyn amid the family fallout.
But with David still said to be ‘fuming’ about Harry’s accusation – and Brooklyn well aware of his parent’s hurt over the subject – the meeting, said to have been at the home of Nickelodeon and Paramount CEO Brian Robbins, who is a neighbour of the Sussexes, is not thought to have gone down well with the Beckhams.
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A source told the Daily Mail: “David and Victoria had no idea about the meeting, leaving them blindsided that their errant offspring had joined the ‘other side’ in what appears to be just the latest jibe at his parents.
“In fact, not only did the Beckhams not know of the event, those in their circles struggled to believe that Brooklyn and Nicola would agree to meet up with Harry and Meghan, having snubbed five of David’s 50th birthday celebrations. It was, they say, a particularly cruel blow.
“Brooklyn knows how hurt David and Victoria were when Harry and Meghan accused them of briefing stories about them. David, who is very mild mannered, was absolutely furious. Brooklyn was very much around and spending a lot of time with his parents when this all happened. It was over five years ago, but the upset and dislike is still very much there. Victoria was especially good to Meghan in the beginning and it all got thrown back in her face.”
Quite why Brooklyn, 26, and Nicola, 30, were invited to the intimate dinner isn’t clear. Though it’s been hinted it’s likely because his father David recently sold his TV football chat show, Beckham & Friends Live, to Paramount+.
A source claimed the invitation was sent out way ahead of the feud becoming public knowledge – yet Brooklyn and Nicola were well aware of what it would look like to hang out with Harry and Meghan. They said it’s a ‘kick in the teeth or a total screw you’ depending on ‘what side you are on.’
But it seemed they wanted to set the record straight on the meeting, as a source insisted Harry and Meghan did not invite them directly, telling PEOPLE: “While it was an intimate gathering, there were several additional guests, including VIPs and film executives. Brooklyn and Nicola had a wonderful time and found Harry and Meghan to be particularly kind, caring and generous.”
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Now this was finally a role Julian Strawther could sink his teeth into, even if it cost him one.
Playing meaningful extended minutes for the first time in the series, the Denver Nuggets guard provided a spark off the bench as he scored all 15 of his points in the second half on Thursday night. His big game helped propel Denver to a 119-107 victory over the Thunder and force a Game 7 on Sunday in Oklahoma City.
“That’s the moment you dream of when you’re a little kid – come to the game, having all the guys believe in you, find you in your spots and be able to just make an impact on the game,” said Strawther, a second-year player out of Gonzaga.
Strawther certainly left it all on the floor, including a tooth (a prosthetic one) that happened to pop out in the fourth quarter when he took contact from an Oklahoma City player. He tried to get the officials to stop play long enough to gather it up. But the action was already heading the other way.
A ball boy scooped it up for him in a towel and returned it to the bench. By the time Strawther addressed the media following the game, he had it back in place.
He explained that after he lost a baby tooth as a kid, the adult version – located on the right side next to his front tooth – never grew in.
“We got it back,” Strawther said.
Just like that, the Nuggets are going back to OKC. It was their sole mission after frittering away a fourth-quarter lead and losing there in Game 5.
The Nuggets’ bench made a big impact behind the play of Strawther, Russell Westbrook (eight points) and Peyton Watson (four).
Sure, the reserves of the Thunder outscored them 32-27. Before Thursday, though, the average production of the bench was 34-22 through five games in favour of the Thunder.
“(Julian) was amazing,” said Nikola Jokic, who had 29 points, 14 rebounds and eight assists. “He had the big points, the big moments of the game.”
Strawther finished 3 of 4 from 3-point range and 4 of 4 from the line. Above all, he helped the Nuggets maintain their momentum in the fourth quarter as Jokic sat on the bench to get some valuable rest. Strawther played 19 1/2 minutes, his playoff high.
This after being limited to 14 minutes combined over the last three games, including a “DNP” – did not play – in Game 3. Interim coach David Adelman told him to stay ready.
He listened.
“Understanding that there’s a night that I may not check in at all,” Strawther explained. “And there’s a night like tonight where he’s going to ride with me.
“Me and (Adelman) have had a transparent relationship through these playoffs, and I’m really appreciative for him throwing me out there tonight.”
His role may increase even more depending on the status of Aaron Gordon, who hurt his left hamstring late in the game.
“I feel OK. We’ll see,” Gordon said after the game. “I’m going to start the recovery process now, to make sure I’m ready for a Game 7.”
Another player who found a groove was banged-up forward Michael Porter Jr., who was 4 of 9 for 10 points. He’s been dealing with a sprained left shoulder.
“For me, with what I’ve been through, there’s so much extra things I have to be on top of,” explained Porter, who said he had a lidocaine injection in his shoulder before Game 6 and plans to have another leading into Sunday. “Since I hurt my shoulder I’m not able to be on top of things like I want to … I don’t feel as comfortable and confident in my shot as I want to feel throughout these playoffs.